The present invention relates to devices, assemblies and systems for enhancing the observation of a driver of any vehicle by extending the driver's point of vision to the corners of the vehicle by optically transmitting forward, side and rear images from the corners of the vehicle to a location within the vision of the driver at the controls of the vehicle.
With the ever increasing number of vehicles on the roads, streets and highways and the increasing number of larger vehicles, such as pick-up trucks, vans and sports utility vehicles, commonly known as SUVs, the ability of the driver of a vehicle, especially smaller vehicles such as sports cars and sedans, to see traffic conditions, whether on the side, in the rear or forward has been diminished. This is particularly so in those conditions where a driver is attempting to turn into an intersecting street, or back out of a parking spot, or trying to turn left from a turning lane across oncoming traffic. In all those instances the driver must extend the vehicle into traffic a sufficient length, usually almost half the length of the vehicle, so that the driver's line of vision covers the oncoming traffic. While most vehicles are equipped with rear view mirrors and there have been attempts to eliminate the “blind spot” behind the driver, the need to extend the driver's line of vision applies in all directions.
Likewise, because so many vehicles are already in use, there is a need to provide an enhancement or extension of the driver's line of vision to existing vehicles as well as those under manufacture. Such an enhancement would have broader application and use if it were a passive device and relatively small and unobtrusive.
Therefore, it would be clearly advantageous and would improve the safety of a vehicle if the line of vision of the driver were extended to the corners of the vehicle.